AN: Hmmm. It's been a looooong time since last update hasn't it? Um. Yea. I kinda had a falling out with this fic. It's sad but true. The worst fact it that this fic is not over yet (not by a long shot. Damn why did I give it such a complicated plot?) and most likely will not be finished soon, if ever. Sorry but due to new fandoms I've fallen into I've recently lost my taste for Harry Potter and I'm not sure if I'll get it back. If there is anyone who still cares if this fic is updated leave a review telling me so. That will make trying to finish it somewhat urgent. If not this fic will probably be taken off the back burner it's currently on and stuffed under my bed with my old comic books.
Also I want to thank every one who reviewed so far especially those of you who review the last chapter. Your kind words are what got me this far in the first place. You're all too kind.
Any ways, with that crap aside, please enjoy.
Hey you, Mrs. too-good-to-look-my-way and that's cool you want nothing at all to do with me.
But I want you, ain't nothing wrong with wanting you cause I'm a man and I can think what the hell I want, you got that straight?
It was 6:30am, two and a half hours before Ron woke up with his arms around Hermione, three hours before Ron, Hermione, and Ginny made their castle wide search for two missing ex-lovers and four hours before Draco thought it would be a good idea to puzzle out his life while sitting by a lake in freezing rain. A very annoyed very irked very pissed Molly Weasley stomped onto the hard packed dirt in front of her house. Her red hair was loose and disheveled. Her robe was dirty and wrinkled. Her blue eyes were narrow and flecked with anger. Her boots, not made for long hikes, pinched at her feet and made odd 'slooching' noises while the caked mud that ran up their sides fell off with each stomp.
She was, frankly, not a happy camper.
Her anger could most easily be explained by the fact she had been pushed out of her fireplace noon yesterday and this was the first she was able to return to her home. She had appeared at the ministry building with problems but it took her forty-five minutes to find Percy. She had been put out at the idea he was dating someone and once again not mentioning it to her. Much like that Penny girl Percy had been dating.
To tell the truth, she was rather glad her son had broken up with that girl. Molly had met Penny twice and although there was nothing outwardly distasteful about her, Penny never seemed the right person for Percy. The problem must have been that Penny was like her son in too many ways. Not just that they shared the same interests, she had the same type of personality. Arthur claimed that meant they were perfect for each other but Molly knew better. Opposites did attract. They went much better then people who were the same. Look at her and Arthur. At school she had dated enough boys who were like her to know she hated the bossy pushy macho wannabes of the Quidditch team. Author Weasley, a weird bumbling wizard a year behind her, who always tinkered around with muggle artifacts, stole her heart instead.
She still found it horrible romantic and might have smiled except for the fact she wanted to murder her youngest son and the muggle born woman living in her house for the summer.
She had found Percy working as usual. He had been surprised then annoyed by the note. At least he tried to appear that way. She could tell he was nervous by it and a bit guilty. She would have picked at that except for the fact he never sent a note. Which meant Ron and Hermione had lied right to her face. After her lunch with Percy she had tried to floo home only to find her fireplace had been blocked off. It wasn't any mistake either. It wasn't a, 'the fire place has been destroyed' prevention it was 'magic has been cast to annoy you' prevention. It was as if the twins were home again and that did not make for happy nostalgia.
Percy offered his flat for Molly and Arthur to stay the night but that wasn't good enough. She was going to her own bed in her own house thank you very much! Arthur might not be worried or annoyed but she was. He could sleep in Percy's flat. She would not stand for it. She apperated herself right to the edge of the anti-apperation ward and hiked her way home. It was a hard long bumpy road as the ward reached out far from the burrow. She was sure of reaching her destination though.
Despite the weight that multiple childbirths had given her, she was still incredible fit. She had always been active, house beater in her day then ministry work, before giving that up to chase after a pack children. Of course, hacking through a swamp in the middle of the night was not her idea of fun. Still she was too angry to be scared and bullheaded Gryffindor ness raged through her blood. She tackled the swamp in record time, crossed the stream and a lovely bramble patch before finally making it to her own front door. It was dawn by then and the sun's red light glowed across her. If any of her children had seen her they most likely would have hid in terror. She slammed the front door open.
She wasn't initially sure what she'd find. After Arthur's not so discrete and Percy's between the lines suggestion of 'sometimes people feel they need time to be alone' she half expected something bizarre, like the two children to be snogging or (heaven forbid under her own roof) shagging or a combination of the two.
Instead, she found nothing. No lit candles. No romantic trifles like rose petals. No flurries of passion.
Nothing.
The house stood empty. It held an achy silence, dry where you could swear you heard the dust sifting through the air. Even the ghoul was silent in a deathly homage to her spooky surroundings. She called out names, her anger cooling each time she peeked into a room that appeared devoid of people. Returning from the second floor, she eyed the charm placed on the fireplace. It was faded, likely cast the night before, and she removed it with a flick of her wand. She looked at the evaporating pink haze a second before entering her living room.
Like the other rooms, it was empty. It had though, what some of the rooms hadn't. A bit of a mess like people leaving rapidly. A piece of some type of clothing had been flung to the floor. She bent forward snagging it with her for finger and thumb and the light fabric hung down to show a robe. She stared at it a second taking in the color and cut.
She gasped and dropped the robe as if it was on fire. Unconsciously she stepped back away from it her back hitting the wall hard paintings trembling under the vibration. She clapped a hand to her mouth blue eyes frosted with fright.
She could still remember the years she spent in safe houses terrified trying to keep the babies quite. You had to be silent or the men wearing 'those' robes would find you. Then you and your family were dead.
A piercing shriek made its way through her trembling fingers as her eyes pinned themselves to the Death Eater's robe on the floor of her living room.
"Really Malfoy. What exactly gave you the idea that sitting out in the rain was a good idea?" Ginny glared at the drenched man while measuring out a potion into a goblet. He sat on a bed, Ginny standing in front of him with Ron a short distance away watching a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
"I wasn't frolicking out in the rain for fun Weasley." The man snapped. "I just got caught in it." Draco looked positively miserable with water still dripping from his hair onto his magically dried robe. The soggy locks hung limply framing his scowling face. His face was flushed with the slight fever Ginny had found him with when he tried to sneak back into the castle. She scowled back shoving the goblet into his hand.
"For an hour?" She tore the goblet after he drained it and slammed it down earning a wince from her brother. "You can't go running around however you please in your condition."
"I..."
"And I've run out of potions." Ginny ran on as if Draco had never started to speak. "I've had to ask Snape for more and he's going to lecture me when he gets here."
"I..." Draco interrupted himself to give a hacking cough. He glared at Ron who had taken the time to laugh uproariously. Damn him! It wasn't that funny.
"And you Ron!" Ginny rounded on her older brother. "Why did you let him sit out in the rain like that?"
"What!"
Draco smirked as the girl scolded Ron. That was better.
"I'm not his bloody keeper Gin. He can take care of himself!" Actually though it was funny to watch, Draco felt like he should speak up. Who did the little girl think she was, acting like he needed someone to protect him! He could bloody well take after himself! Before he had a chance to speak up a silky and annoyed voice broke in.
"I hate to interrupt this delightful family squabble but I'm afraid I have a busy schedule." The sibling's argument broke off and Draco shrunk down despite his best efforts not to. Snape swept into the room grimace on his face. He eyed Draco and his eyes darkened further. Draco shrunk more while trying to pretend he wasn't.
"Draco." It was a snipped cold sort of greeting
Draco looked up into the potion master's scowling face willing himself to at least not act afraid of the man. It didn't take. Snape had been his favorite professor, the only on worthy of respect. He remembered the horrible feeling that he could never decipher during fourth year when he found out the man was a Death Eater. Then the other feeling, much more pleasant but just as confusing when it turned out Snape was just a spy and not like Lucious at all. It didn't matter at all what he was though, the man was intimidating. Still Draco wasn't going to cower like a child! He scowled
"Wonderful. Are you planning on lecturing me too?"
"I would never presume." The man said coldly. He held up a small carton for inspection. "Your potions, Miss Weasley." He trained his eyes on Draco as the redheaded nurse took them from his hands. "Potions she would not have needed replaced if you had a brain in the empty head of yours."
"You said you weren't lecturing!" Draco protested voice heavy with anger.
"For any stupid things you decide to do no." The man grabbed Draco's arm and pulled down the sleeve bearing the misshapen tattoo. The two Weasleys winced and turned their eyes away from the mark and him. Draco's jaw clenched as he stared straight ahead. "Because some of them are too idiotic to even warrant mentioning."
"Let go." The man ignored him tightening his grip black eyes glaring alternatively from the blonde's face to the mark.
"What made you think this was a good idea?" Snape emphasized the word this by prodding the mark with the for-finger of his other hand. Draco gave a yelp half-indigent half pain filled. Tugging would have made the mark hurt worse so Draco just sat there looking at the man rather then the mark. He bared his teeth, trying to shrink down into himself away from the taller man.
"What's going on?"
Draco looked up to see Harry and Granger standing in the doorway of the sick room. His heart fluttered in an ill way and Draco felt his stomach roll. Stupid body rebelling against him. Harry looked at him and again he looked away. From the corner of his eyes, he saw emerald eyes glare at Snape.
"Let him go."
Snape's dry chuckle brought Draco's eyes to his in a flash. Angry but amused eyes glared at him.
"How lucky for you Draco that Potter was around to save you once again." Snape dropped Draco's arm before stalking out of the infirmary without another word. Draco looked at the floor sullenly knowing his face was red in embarrassment. Fuck if Snape wasn't right. He was still hiding behind Har...Potter's skirts and they bloody hated each other now. That was stopping now.
"Are you ok?" Harry asked Draco almost inaudibly. He hated Harry and his niceness. What was wrong with him!
"Fuck off." Was Draco's answer and he was pleased as anger flooded Harry's face.
"Fine." The Gryffindor snapped stomping away to sit on one of the other bed pointedly not looking at Draco. Draco shifted on his cot and pointedly didn't look at Harry. No one else said any thing either creating a very uncomfortable silence. Finally, Ron broke it with a sigh.
"Harry?"
"What!" Harry snapped at Ron. The red head gave him a slightly annoyed glare and shook his head.
"Nothing." Draco watched as a sorrow filled look crossed Harry's face and he immediately flounced into saying sorry red faced. The weasel shook his head again and rolled his eyes. "It's ok Harry. I'm hungry. You have any food Gin?"
"Huh? Oh...no. I could go get the house elves to..." She stopped when her brother held up a hand.
"No I'll go get it. You guys all want some?" Nods and small affirmatives. "Malfoy you hungry?"
"Huh?" He turned his head to see the red haired man was looking right at him.
"Food. You know breakfast. You want?"
After the whole pathetic ness that happened down at the lake he figured the Weasel would ignore him or something. Apparently, the man had stones. How so very Gryffindor. Also how very annoying since his concern was ruining the sulking brooding bastard attitude he was trying to show.
"Yea. Sure." He was hungry and sulky dammit!
In a few minute, the man was back with buttered scones and muffins filling empty medicine beakers from a pitcher of pumpkin juice. When Dumbledore appeared, he found them sitting back in the now very uncomfortable silence in which the only sound was chewing.
"Sir!" Ginny was up in a second followed by the rest of the Gryffindor herd. The girl reached him first wrapping a hand around one of his arms leading him over to a chair. He looked relatively well as far as Draco could tell following Ginny's steps with a humoring grin. He looked at Draco and the blonde froze under his gaze.
"Mr. Malfoy. It's good to see you looking better."
The blonde ducked his head as a humiliated flush spread over his cheeks. "Yea. Yes head master. Thanks- Thank you." He corrected himself looking back up expression neutral. He studied the figure on the chair eyes narrowed. It was one thing for Harry to try to help him but Albus Dumbledore? That was absurd. He stood firmly against every thing Draco's family stood for and for Draco to owe him for his life was just…absurdity. It wasn't right. It went against natural order.
He wanted to know if the man was all right. He looked fine but every one knew that didn't have to mean fine.
"How are you feeling Headmaster?" Harry asked quickly. Of course, trust Harry to ask the right questions.
The old wizard smiled brightly. "Oh just fine Harry. It takes more then delving into a little black magic to stop me," ouch that made Draco flinch, "although I have gotten some disturbing news from a friend of mine in the ministry."
"What is it?" Granger asked attention firmly on Dumbledore.
"It seems there has been some commotion in the news last night and today. All four of you are missing and are being searched for. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley because of mysterious a disappearance where a Death Eater's robe found while you two were not, Mr. Potter's disappearance and the report of a known Death Eater near his place of residency and Mr. Malfoy for being the missing known Death Eater."
"Wait," Weasley looked ill. "My parents they think…and they have the ministry after us?"
"They are looking for you but they don't have many clues to go on." The old man said.
"And they're mostly looking for Malfoy right?" Granger asked.
"It's not just the ministry after me," Draco said softly wrapping a hand around him throbbing arm. The others in the room looked at him but he didn't make eye contact. "Or you three now I suppose."
Now, it he was a selfless person like Harry would be the time to leave them. He should go run away on his own but…as Harry always said he was selfish and scared. He didn't want to be alone. Where would he go? What could he do? Without Harry and his friends, Draco would be truly alone.
"What should we do?" Harry asked looking at his old head master. Granger gave the surprising answer.
"Hide."
"Hide where?" Draco looked up from his arm with a glare. "The Dark Lord and his followers are not going to give up. They won't stop till they have me and all of you for helping me."
"Yea but the ministry is no better." She replied brow furrowed. "Mysterious disappearances? They think we're either dead or captured but You Know Who don't they?"
"Yes." Dumbledore said with a nod.
"We'll have to leave the castle then. It's the first place they'll look."
"Shouldn't we be safe here?" Draco demanded. Dumbledore shook his head.
"It is the second piece of news my informant sent that should worry you four. An Auror party will arrive in less then an hour to search the grounds and I can't vouch for all its members."
"You're saying some of them are Death Eaters aren't you?" Harry asked.
"I fear them to be."
"Spies in the ministry?" Ron said face going red with anger. "We'll have to leave!"
"Where?" Harry asked.
"Some place that won't be found. Somewhere we would never hide." Hermione turned to Dumbledore. "Hypothetically sir where do you think a very unlikely place for them to hide would be?"
"Hypothetically? I would not be able to say unfortunately because I will have to give truthful accounts if I knew your four's actual location. However on a different note I hear muggle London's lovely this time of year." The man's eyes positively twinkled. "I've always wanted to go buts it's just not a normal place for a wizard or a witch to The last place." Hermione grinned suddenly. "That's brilliant and certainly the last place anyone would look for us since we'd have no reason to go there."
"That's bloody insane," Draco growled.
"It's bloody brilliant too." Ron replied.
"But," Harry began in protest. Hermione touched his arm.
"It's the only way we can all be safe." She looked at Draco when she said this and the blonde matched her stare just barely. She looked away first once at Harry finally on Ron. "Does anyone have a better idea?"
There was silence and the three young wizards shook their heads. She gave a nod.
"Ok then. Let's decide what we have to take."
It hadn't taken much to clear the children out of the castle. They went out with as much fuss as they came in with, the four of them walking to the edge of Hogwarts to floo to London. From there they would find their own way a place to stay with the small sum of muggle money Dumbledore had dug up and, hopefully, stay out of detection. None of the three staying behind would know their exact whereabouts and Filtch and Hagrid had never known they were there in the first place.
The plan was as stupid as it was idiotic, bravo straight from an adventure novel. Hide from two factions both with so little information, both likely out for blood. So much could go wrong and Severus didn't trust any of the four to stay out of trouble. Not even Draco, not any more.
"Albus this is madness! You can not just send them off and expect all will be well."
"They aren't children any more Severus. I can not just send them to someone for them to be cared for." Dumbledore sighed. It was unclear if the sigh was because if he could put them under protection, he would or if the sigh was for Severus and if he could he wouldn't.
"They are still children Albus whether you admit it or not."
"And sometimes you have to trust those who you think are children to act like adults.
"Then you're a fool."
"As I've been told. Now sit down and stop fretting." The wizard poured two cups of tea. "You need to have a little more trust Severus. This will end well. You'll see."
The darker man snorted but sat down at the head masters command.
"I find that highly doubtful."
"You may be surprised."
Tobias Litchfield glanced around the stark walls of his Ministry office before unraveling the scroll that had been delivered to him. It may have come from an intra-office owl but he knew it wasn't ministry business. That was clear from the red seal it bore. The impression may look like random marks but Tobias could see in them a skull and snake upon a pedestal. Personal signature used by the death eater who gave Tobias his orders. He knew little of his superior who spied in the ministry also. Not even a name. Due to precaution especially after the nasty incident with the traitor, Severus Snape, little was known about other Death eaters. Of course Tobias new the names of many. The same boys he had joined with, the men who had sponsored him. Some of the higher ups even. Lucious Malfoy who had been publicly announced a death eater a few months ago. The man promptly fled the ministry's view with his family even going as far as making the famous (though in more of an evil then glorified way ) Malfoy manor unplottable.
He gazed at the envelope. He had tried to puzzle out who his superior was but so far, the answer was not forth coming. Any ways now, he'd have to worry about the contents of the letter. New orders perhaps?
He cracked open the seal and cast a revealer charm. Spidery writing grew across the parchment ink pooling like dark stagnant water. His brow furled as he read the words. So, the Malfoy brat was missing. Interesting. Perhaps that could play into Tobias's favor. Would it be better for the child to be found or for the child to stay missing? When his eyes took in the name of the Malfoy heir's last known companions the man smirked. Hogwarts had been searched hmm? By members of the ministry and Tobias was certain to a thread that the group contained his superior and a few other Death eaters. Lovely way to lower the number of suspected ministry members.
Moreover, the child's companions, what they pointed to... This made ecstatic news. Perhaps the child had turned.
In-Ter-Restinng
No one had any idea where the youngest Malfoy was or the missing Weasley and his mudblood pet. This all corresponded to the apparent disappearance of Harry Potter. The ministry of course hadn't let that fact loose especially with the uncertainty about what had happened at the Weasley homestead was buzzing around. It all looked too suspicious. In fact, it all looked as though the Dark lord had captured Harry Potter and his friends. Unfortunately, from what Tobias had learned not only did the Death Eaters not have the children but, from the letter, they were free with the deserter.
How would that look on Malfoy? What IF the wizarding community heard of this? Hmmm. It could be twisted nicely if word got out. If he could only...
A rapping on his door pulled his attention away from his growing plan. He gave a growl igniting the letter before pulling the door open. A thin woman hair pulled back from a shapely face looked back at him with a sultry like look on her face. Tobias gave a small frown of confusion before the woman pushed her way into the office dragging a short teenaged boy in behind her.
"Tobias Litchfield?" He nodded. "Mary Fuller, of the Daily Prophet. I'd like to interview you on recent Death Eater attacks. I know you're the man to see."
The only bloody one available he snarled in his head. Ironic though, she was asking him about Death Eaters.
"What is this? Take you child to work day?" Tobias sneered down at the boy who merely smiled and took a picture. The man blinked sneer dropping as dots flashed before his eyes. Before he could strangle the brat, the woman pushed in front of him pulling out a scroll and pursing her lips.
"This is my associate Collin. He's working with the paper on Hogwart's apprentice program." The woman's voice was silky with a slight chill to it. "Mr. Litchfield the wizarding community is very distraught. I think it would be in your best interest to answer a few questions."
This was too much like a silver platter. On the other hand how well this could play to an advantage to the dark lord and then to Tobias himself.
"Very well. How can the ministry help you?" he gave a slight bow with a mocking flourish as he said this. She frowned as red spots growing on her cheeks.
"The home of a prominent member of the ministry has been attacked and his son and friend are missing. Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger are both well known as friends of Harry Potter who is rumored to be missing from his muggle home in Surry. There have been reported sightings of a man matching the description of Draco Malfoy son of a known Death Eater in the Surry area. How is the ministry acting on these reports? Has the Weasley family been contacted by a kidnapper. Where is Harry Potter?"
The ministry has no official statement as of yet and will not comment on situation. Those were the fed lines any and all ministry workers were to use when coming face to face with the press. How unfortunate Tobias seemed to have not received that memo. "Very well Miss Fuller. My boss has just informed me to comment."
Neither of the two seemed to notice the odd way he stressed the word boss or the fact he now seemed quite eager. The man gave a rather shark like grin as he quickly picked together the best story that he could.
One that would prove most helpful for his colleges and his master.
"While no one has contacted the Weasley family for a ransom death eaters are suspected in the disappearance and as for the connections between sightings of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter..."
This was just...lovely
"So one room for all four of you?" The man raised an eyebrow cheekily as he looked over Hermione's shoulder to her companions. She looked too a quick glance trying to gauge how odd her travel party was. She felt her cheeks heat.
On a meter from one to ten?
Twelve.
Ron bundled into an old Weasley sweater looking horrible uncomfortable his eyes darting from Harry to Malfoy both sullenly pretending the other didn't exist. Sullen at least was the perfect word to describe Draco Malfoy. She and Ginny had to bully him out of the second hand Weasley robe and into a pair of jeans and a hooded sweatshirt. Neither had thought it kind to mention that the clothes belonged to Hermione and they were the only thing that would fit the lithe man. He stood on the right of Ron his arms crossed tightly over his chest, pale skin making him a vampire under the black fabric. He looked every inch the boy Hermione knew and loathed in school even though he scowled instead of sneered.
Harry on the other hand looked far from the little boy she had pestered seven years ago on the Hogwarts train. His face was a blank gaze fixed away from Malfoy and Ron. He wasn't pouting, he didn't look mad he just looked...
She couldn't think of a good word though. Blank? Hollow?
"Here you go my darling." The man grinned dropping the key into Hermione's hand touching her skin longer then need be. She frowned and hurried away from him almost unconsciously wiping her hand on her pants. She couldn't stand people like that. Where did he get off calling her darling?
"Room key." She held the thing up like a trophy and it jingled against its key chain. The three men stared at her greatly unimpressed. She ignored them to inspect the flat plastic thing. "Room four-oh-five. Come on." She turned without looking to see if they would follow. She was getting cross at the three of them. She was the one who obtained the cloths, room and money. Why did she have to be the mothering figure? On the other hand, she supposed neither Harry nor Draco seemed capable of doing much of any thing at the moment and Ron was in his own way helping. She stopped her train of thought upon finding the correct door and stuck the key in the lock. She opened the door.
The room was a dingy small thing that smelled faintly of cigarette smoke. There were two beds covered in matching covers both faded yellow. A table holding a phone, an under stuffed chair, a stained dresser with a drawer missing and a television mounted on the wall with bolts were the rooms only other furnishings. A door across the room with the peeling green paint must lead to the bathroom. She stepped inside moving so the others could come in and drop their bags. They looked around with various degrees of disgust Harry the least Draco the most. She shut the door behind them.
"This is just lovely." The blonde sneered, sitting on one of the beds. Ron took the other and Harry settled against a wall watching her. She just shrugged at Malfoy's comment.
"We don't have much money and we're supposed to be incognito. What did you expect, the Hilton?"
"The Hilton?" The blonde repeated blinking.
"Never mind." Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes at that. She always forgot that wizards didn't get muggle allusions. Instead she moved her mind to planning the soon to be her future.
"First off, we'll need to get some food and then some more muggle clothes. We can't keep using mine and Harry's," She paced the small room weaving through the three men, "We don't have much money either. For now, we'll have to be thrifty. And we have to keep a low profile. I have a muggle bank account I can get some money from but eventually we'll need to go to Diagon Ally," somehow they'd have to keep up with what was happening in the ministry. Maybe they could risk contacting Mr. Weasley or Percy. Hmm possibly. She didn't like the idea though. The less people who knew where they were the better.
"Harry you and Malfoy will have to stay in the motel room. You're both high profile and both sides will be looking for you."
"Yea and nothing good will happen if either side gets what they want." Ron mumbled sitting on the foot of a bed. "We're in trouble and that's the truth."
"So we're just going to sit here waiting for everything to work itself out?" demanded Harry, "That's not going to happen Hermione!"
"Sounds fine to me." Draco drawled crossing his arms over his chest. He toed off his boots. Harry shot the man a glare.
"Just like you to say that." he snarled.
"Damn straight. Like it would be very smart to run out there and get killed. Staying here is the smart thing. I can see why you have difficulty with it."
"It's cowardly which is understandably why you like that plan. My friends and family are in danger because of you."
"Not much of a change from usual, you wanker. If it bothers you so much you should have thought twice before you stuck you nose in where it's not wanted."
Ignoring the fighting wizards Ron turned a worried face to Hermione his expression making something ache in her heart yearning to fix it.
"Can...Can we tell my folks we're ok? Mum'll be really worried when she gets back to the Burrow."
Hermione shook her head and Ron looked at her his expression even worse.
"Um…"
"I know! We don't have anyway to send it and it's too dangerous for people to find out where we are!"
"Well the ministry is probably reading any of your family's incoming mail and we know they have a leak to the Death Eaters. But well I…"
"Hermione! I don't bloody care! She's my mum. She's going to be so worried especially since we left that god awful robe right in the living room."
Hermione glanced at Harry and Draco. The two were still fighting loudly. "Ron. Calm down."
"No! They have to know we're not dead. I have to-"
"I already did."
"You…" Ron stopped his ranting confused. "You already what?"
Glancing again at the other two roommates she leaned closer to Ron and lowered her voice. "I sent your Mum a letter."
"But…" Ron looked shocked. "What about people scanning our mail like you said how…?"
"Don't you and Harry always say I was the cleverest witch at school? It's in code and only your mother will be able to understand it."
"I…why didn't you say anything."
"Because it was a stupid idea even if it is encrypted. I possibly put us all in danger and well… I didn't want Harry or Malfoy to find out. And…well…" she trailed off.
"You could have told me. I wouldn't have told."
"You're right. I'm sorry Ron." She put a hand on his shoulder and he sat looking miserable and small in his muggle clothing. Despite this, he gave her a warm smile that made her insides flutter. "It'll be alright I promise..."
"S'not your fault." He put a hand over hers, warm and large covering hers, and she just stood there letting him hold her hand. The arguing between Harry and Draco stopped and they looked like they had figured out whose fault it was and they looked just as miserable as Ron did.
So they were Wizards exiled in a strange land. They were all guilty. They'd survive it. She trusted her two best friends and god help her she would trust Draco.
"We can sleep now and first thing in the morning we'll start to figure this out."
"Sounds good." Harry said and Draco miracle upon miracles nodded. Ron squeezed her hand then asked in a small voice.
"Um…so where are we all going to sleep?"
Hermione buried her face deeper into her pillow the haze of sleep quickly taking her away. The room was dark and the door was locked. That wouldn't stop any wizard who wanted in but Hermione felt safe with the idea that no one would think to look for them here. There was a warm form pressed against her back but this time it wasn't Mr. Grabby Hands, Ronald Weasley but Harry.
At Ron's question, Harry had suggested Draco sleep in the bathtub. Draco countered with suggesting Harry sleep on the floor since he was mostly dog like any way. Ron annoyed said both Harry and Draco could sleep on the floor. Harry tried to compromise by suggesting they make a bed out of the chair, which of course Draco could sleep on. Hermione would have none of it. Draco still needed to recover and therefore needed a bed. Both Ron and Harry deserved a good night sleep, neither bed was big enough for three and she certainly wasn't sleeping on the floor.
So…
Ron and Draco got one bed though both complained their hearts out. In the end they agreed to it with Draco under the covers Ron over the covers both lying rigidly so not to touch. Harry just crawled under the covers and fell asleep beside Hermione. She cleared her minds of Ron and any comparison to sleeping with him, (Didn't mind his hands on her, liked it so much, it was that he said such hurtful things when he was awake. Why didn't he want her?) by thinking of the day to come. She was strangely excited. It was just like old times.
She fell asleep assured.
They'd make it. They always did.
Their dreams were filled with pain and blood, suffering and lost love.
Not one slept easy and none avoided nightmares.
The room filled with the sounds of turning.
Despite what the muggle cinema she watched, as a child hiding out was extremely boring. It had been two days or pure boredom and unease. There was nothing to do. Read a book and sit in the uncomfortable silence. Malfoy and Harry didn't talk much at all. When they did, it was never to each other. Surprisingly Malfoy was polite and when he did want something or wanted to ask a question, it was usually queried to Ron. Neither Malfoy nor Harry had actually looked at the other since the fight they had the fist night.
Of course, she should have realized that there was a storm brewing. It probably would have been better if Draco and Harry talked to each other but both steadfast refused.
The storm broke on the third day.
Hermione was sitting at the beat up old table scrolls and books and inks and quills spread out before her. Earlier at the beginning of the summer, she had agreed to try to help protect Harry. The problem was it wasn't as simple as slapping a few spells on him and wishing him luck. A secret keeper spell was out because Harry would rather die then not live. He wouldn't hide away in some moldy old cave and Hermione didn't really want to lock him away in a tower anyways. That was how the secret keeper spell was flawed. It was strong yes but it was like a mouse hiding in a hole to escape a cat. The mouse was safe as long as he stayed in the hole but if he left, Gulp. The flash of movement attracted the cat and the mouse is devoured.
Hermione frowned as her furious scratching of quill on paper drowned out all other sounds in her ears. The boys had contented themselves to playing muggle cards. All three of them together which Hermione took as a good sign even though Harry and Draco were refusing to acknowledge each other's existents and were only talking to Ron. Still it had to be some kind of progression.
Hermione frowned again crossing something out that was absurd and starting over in her calculations. The other problem now was Draco. She wanted to add him to the spell except she had no idea how to do that. The plan originally was to use a variation of a pentagram binding. The variation was of course she didn't trust four other people to use their strength and magic to help protect Harry. It had to be a perfect flow and for that the only people she trusted was herself Harry and Ron.
Now there was Draco and he had to fit in with out causing the spell to buckle, weaken and break.
The common element was a triangle, the strongest shape indestructible and strong. With three points it would work. Squares were weak with four points and four fragile sides. At the first sign of trouble, the spell would falter.
No, she needed three points. She wasn't strong enough to just be one point and let Harry and Draco fill the rest of the shape; Ron wasn't either. They also couldn't bond into one point. She might care a great deal for him but their magic would never work bound like that. On the other hand…She and Ron could make the base points of the spell and…well…Draco and Harry could be bound as the top of the pyramid. Their magic wouldn't have to meld together since they weren't the base. That could work, possibly…
"You're cheating!"
Or possibly not.
"What do you expect? It's what I do."
"I'm not surprised. You always were a rotten cheat."
"It's just a stupid muggle game. Trust you to be upset about that. Pansy."
"Every thing is always trivial and stupid in your eyes you cold blooded twat!"
Did Harry just call…?
"That's because it is stupid and insignificant. Reminds me of something. What was it? Let me think. Oh, yes. You!"
"You don't like it? You don't have to play. Don't know why you even bother to do something us normal human beings like to do Mr. Malfoy, git lord of the universe."
"Does Potter have a better suggestion? I'd love to hear it. We're stuck here with nothing else to do."
"We're hiding out all and safe from the big bad scary things just like you like."
"Stop it!" Ron growled. "You're both acting like…"
"This is your fault!" The two barreled on ignoring Ron. "You had to bring me to Hogwarts and start this whole big mess."
"You were going to die! What the hell did you expect me to do?"
"I never asked you to save me
"Yea ok." Harry snipped voice positively dripping in sarcasm. "So you just appear at my house bleeding and I wasn't supposed to do anything?"
"Right. You just had to be the hero."
"I was helping!"
"No you were acting like a stupid idiotic Gryffindor who thinks his one purpose in life is to charge off to a rescue."
"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't been the priss little bastard that you are. Things go bad and right away you fall back to being at your father's beck and call."
"At least I have a father."
"At least my parents weren't a mad man and a whore."
"Better a mad man and a whore then an orphaned scruff like you raised by Muggles with no manners."
"Vain prat!"
"Bloody jack ass."
"Shut up!" was screamed at the same time. Draco reached out to strangle Harry by his shirt's collar and Harry reached up to tear the blonde's hair out. It ended with them kissing lip on lip almost violently cards scattered about forgotten. Hermione started in surprise and Ron made a strangled chocking sound looking up from his seat on the bed. The two stood lip to lip a shocking image. She knew they had been together at least in theory but she had never seen them. And hadn't they been fighting moments ago? Though it looked like they still were fighting. They were pushing and scratching but their lips stayed together.
"S-should we break them up?" Hermione whispered to the still stunned Ron. He didn't answer. The question became moot when they pulled apart.
"I hate you." Harry told Draco firmly still in Draco's arms.
"I hate you more." That came out disturbingly fond.
"That isn't possible." They both pushed apart slightly eyes dark. Silence penetrated. Both were wrapped in each other's arms totally oblivious to their audience. They looked…content. Finally, Draco dropped his eyes.
"You should have just let me die."
As soon as the warm looks had appeared, they disappeared under the murderous scowl on Harry's face. He yanked himself out of the embrace.
"Bastard," He hissed. Draco went red.
"Fuck you."
"Not anymore. You're tainted."
They stood there a second longer the words faded away. They could have been a mural. Then they broke the calm. Harry turned and dashed into the bathroom. He slammed the door after him. It made a loud cracking sound as if the wood was about to break. Draco turned and ran out into the hallway leaving the door open like a grotesque toothless mouth.
Hermione let out a very loud string of curses none of them the one used with wands. Ron turned to stare at her same expression plastered to his face like he was looking at a three headed monkey.
"What?" She asked with a growl.
"Where'd you learn those?" He, Ron Weasley, actually sounded scandalized though it was him she'd learnt them from. She didn't bother to tell him that though.
"Go after Malfoy, Ron. Get him before he runs off into muggle London and gets caught and or killed."
"Why me?"
"Because I'm going to talk with Harry and he needs more then a slap on the back and cheer up mate." She snapped. "Besides Malfoy actually seems to like you."
"He does not!" Ron retorted heading out the door anyway. Hermione moved over to the bathroom door and knocked.
"Harry?"
Silence
"Mal-Draco ran out." Hermione explained leaning close to the closed door. She could hear Harry's breathing. She opened the door letting herself in. Harry sat on the floor face pressed into his knees. "Ron went after him."
"Good. I hope he gets hit by a car." He paused. "Draco, not Ron."
"What?"
"I hate him." That was enough. She was tired of this.
"No, you don't." There was a long pause after that.
"No, I don't." He let out a long sigh rubbing his temples. He pulled his head off his legs his face slightly discolored but his eyes dry. "I don't hate him. Damn him but I can't hate him!"
"And you don't want him to get hit by a car."
"No." He sighed. "Why'd he have to go and say that? After we were getting along."
"Getting along?"
"Yeah."
"Harry you called his mother a whore. He called you orphan boy."
"I know."
"And that was getting along?"
Harry gave her and odd look. "Um...yea. We were kissing."
"You were fighting. It looked painful."
Harry gave her a smile void of the sadness from a moment ago. Part shy part wicked. "Yea it was. But that's how we always made up."
"Ok." That was too much information. Really. Even if it did make a pretty picture. "So what did he say that was bad again?" Hurt green eyes looked at her balefully.
"You heard him. He said he'd rather be dead then let me touch him."
"That's not exactly what he said."
"Yeah. What he said was worse."
"That doesn't make any sense."
"He'd rather have died then have let me help him. He hates me. He hates me so much he became a death eater. Now he's ran away again and he's going to get hit by a car and he's never going to know I still love him which isn't fair but doesn't matter anyway because you heard him he HATES me and and and..." He was gulping in air now his face red and Hermione wasn't sure if the tears were for sadness or because he was choking.
"Harry you're hyperventilating!"
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are." She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
He let out a hurt animal noise and she rubbed his back feeling like the most worthless person on the planet. What could she say?
"It would be so much easier if I could just hate him."
"I know. Shhhhhh It'll be ok." His eyes were wide as he stared back at her for that comment.
"Will it? I don't know if it will." She wanted to take it back. Or lie to him. Give him the advice the columnists gave. Lie. She wanted to but she couldn't lie, not to Harry, not about this. Poor Romeo.
"I don't know what to say. I don't know anything about relationships and such. I'm bad at this." She hated to admit she was bad at anything. She hated to fail him like this. He looked at her oddly for a second.
"What do you mean you're bad at it? You and Ron seem fine and last time I checked you didn't betray and abandon him."
She was about to go into a rant about how he hadn't abandoned or betrayed Draco that the man could make his own decisions when Harry words sunk it.
"Ron and I aren't together. In a relationship sense!"
There was a slight pause as Harry looked at her.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"Oh." He seemed taken aback tears stopping for a moment as he studied her. She remembered how he had compared himself to her and Ron before. He thought she was with Ron? Dating? "I thought you were. I thought you guys were doing...the same things Draco and I used to be doing."
She paused while that sunk in and her eye twitched involuntarily. Not dating. Sex stuff.
"I am not having sex with Ron!"
"Oh."
"Oh? That's it? Oh?"
"Um are you sure?
"Yes! Why would you think I was?"
"Erm. You two were sleeping together at the castle and it looked like you ... had. Which I suppose in hindsight and if I had been thinking clearly at the time might have been pretty creepy since our beds were so close together."
"Harry that's horrible! I wouldn't do something like that!"
"Well you were stressed. I would have if I had...um someone." He looked guilty at admitting that but she didn't even want to comment. She didn't want to think about it. She didn't want to think about Harry thinking about it.
Finally, Harry just chuckled. "Thanks. This is actually helping me feel better." He laughed harder. She laughed too though chocked halfway though when she realized the whole joke was the absurdity of the thing and Harry really had thought she and Ron were together in the sexual sense. And if he did how many other people thought so? Maybe she was in a relationship and just hadn't realized it and that was really messed up. If there was a relationship with her and Ron there should be sex. Was it creepy that that was a good thing in her mind? She needed to talk to Ron, after she could breathe again.
Harry pounded her heartily on the back until she made four even breaths.
"Better?"
"Uhuh." A bit breathless. "How are you?"
"Mmm better I guess. Not the great but better. Thanks."
She stood up pulling him with her. "Come on lets see if Ron's found him ok?"
"Ok. I still wish I could just hate him though."
"I know."
"Um. You sent Ron after Malfoy?"
"Yes?"
"So Ron and Malfoy are loose in Muggle London?"
"Yes. Yes they are."
The two ran for the door.
Well I hope this was worth the wait.
Please review and I'll see what I can do about finishing this bad boy and if I don't, thanks for reading this far.
Toodles,
Goggled Monkey.